Scientific Method of Comparing Astrological Softwares

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Scientific / Objective Method of Comparing Astrological Softwares

Friends,I want to address to those persons who are seriously

worried about real problem astrology is facing today : its questionable credibility

as a reliable tool of prediction. There are large regions in the world where

astrology is banned. In India. there are sections of society and there are institutions

where one cannot talk about astrology positively. I devoted my life to find

some means which I believe can restore this falling credibility of astrology.

Now I am outlining the basic guidelines of "scientific

method" which should be applied for

evaluating an astrological software.

(1) Astrological softwares must be evaluated

solely on the basis of their astrological applicability ( and not on the basis of mathematical or theoretical concepts, which may be clarified later ), esp on the basis of "predictive

astrology" (Phalita). If Phalita is wrong consistently for a sufficiently large

number of cases, whatever be the mathematical or theoretical soundness of the

software, it is rubbish. Conversely, if Phalita is reliable consistently for a sufficiently

large number of cases, whatever be the mathematical or theoretical oddity of

the software, it is valuable. I was raising this point from the first day I

joined this forum, and I am glad to note that some members have now accepted

that a software must be evaluated on the basis of its astrological performance

and not on the basis of one's concepts about astronomy or mathematics. I was

bombarded with questions which I had to answer against my wishes.

(2) The aim should be clear from the start :

if software based on physical astronomy is to be compared with Suryasiddhantic

software, other things must not be allowed to creep in, and both types of

softwares must be compared with comparable parameters. For instance, I have fine

tuned Kundalee software on the basis of

BPHS (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, and Laghu Parashari, and related texts).

(3) The method of evaluation must be objective

and never subjective. A blind quiz is a subjective method, and only the

questioner knows true answers. How it can be established whether the questioner

is a liar or not ? In a scientific method, everything must be clear and

verifiable by everyone on the Earth for all time to come.

(4) The data which is to be tested must be

univesally acceptable and easily accessible to everyone in the world. Hence, I

propose horoscopes of such figures like Napoleon, Nehru, Hitler, etc ought to

be used for testing siftwares and not of those persons whose data is not easlily

verifiable by anyone. Birthdata and events must be verifiable from independent and

reliable sources. Those persons must not be used whose birthdata are doubtful,

eg of Obama, Osama, etc.

(5) Only very important good or bad events

should be selected for testing softwares, because strong events are easily

identifiable my means of two or three components of a Vedic horoscope :

Vimshottari chart and D1, plus relevant divisional chart pertinent to the

problem. Such strong events are death, some highly fortunate event like victory

on war or bad event like a defeat or a serious accident. Less strong events are

influenced by so many factors that analysis is time consuming and often

uncertain.

(6) Moderators must strictly moderate the

language of participants, because a few members use unrestrained language which

disrupts any good discussion.

(7) There should be no hurry. Verification

of data, analysis of horoscope, counterviews, etc need some time, eg a week or

two.

If such guidelines are strictly followed, I

am ready to devote my time, otherwise any such excercise will be a wastage of

time not valued by anyone, including the protagonists. Ponder at least for a day or two before starting any scientific test of softwares. Let us start with death of Napoleon, Hitler, Nehru. The list may grow later and may include other topics.

Subjective Method of Comparing Astrological Softwares

 

( I hope

members will try to understand my intentions positively which are far from

offending anyone, instead of rushing to conclusions and resorting to violent

reactions.)

 

Blind Quiz is

a good proposition, and it should be encouraged. But am surprised at the notion

that it can test the correctness of any software. As Bhagavathi jee put it, "software has

got nothing to do with predictions. It is ultimately the human brain that is involved in predicting the

events." What these fellows want to

test, my software, or my brains ?

 

If the aim

is to test the software, which is certainly the aim of many members here, then

I am willing to cooperate. But if their aim is to test my brains, then they

will have to show their own brains first, before becoming my examiners. Recently,

I was invited by a university recognized by UGC as an expert member of an

interview board for making selections from applicants holding doctorate and

post graduation degrees in astrology for the purpose of major research projects

in astrology. My students hold higher degrees in astrology than persons

desirous of becoming my examiner ( degress in astrology recognized by UGC,

which are different from the degrees awarded by Jyotisha gurus now-a-days,

which cannot fetch one a job in any recognized college as a teacher of Jyotisha.

) Why some persons are so impatient to "test" me, and not my

software, is mysterious. I am not offended, but amused.

 

Those who

really want to test the software are welcome, because such a test will serve

the cause of astrology. But it must be borne in mind that no software in the

world can predict an event. A good astrologer makes good forecasts from a somewhat

bad software, and a bad astrologer makes bad forecasts from a good software. Moreover,

if some persons approve a software by means of blind quiz, how many persons in

the world will value their verdict ? A blind quiz project is a good exercise

for sharpening one's own astrological wits and nothing more, its results about any software will

not be valued by others, who will try their own blind quizes. Those who do not

value the certificates or verification reports issued by NASA, IISc, many

universities, & c will not value any test reports of such subjective (or perhaps even objective ?)tests.

-VJ